PAC: Meritus Sepang II Sunday notes

RAMPAGING RIO ROLLS OVER RIVALS
FOR SENSATIONAL VICTORY IN SEPANG
SEPANG (MAY 31, 2009): Questnet Team Qi-Meritus driver Rio Haryanto
showed just what he is capable of when he won the sixth race of the
Formula BMW Pacific season at the Sepang...

RAMPAGING RIO ROLLS OVER RIVALS
FOR SENSATIONAL VICTORY IN SEPANG

SEPANG (MAY 31, 2009): Questnet Team Qi-Meritus driver Rio Haryanto
showed just what he is capable of when he won the sixth race of the
Formula BMW Pacific season at the Sepang International Circuit this
afternoon in sensational style

The 16-year-old Indonesian driver, who joined the Malaysian team in
January, stormed home nearly a second ahead of his rivals despite
trailing Fahmi Ilyas, who was on pole, by more than 1.5 seconds after the
first lap.

Starting third, Rio gradually began to eat into the lead and once he
passed Gary Thompson on lap two to move into second place, there was no
doubting he would eventually overtake Fahmi. Rio overtook Fahmi in turn
15 of the six lap and raced to the chequered flag four laps later in
20:01.720s.

Fahmi was second in 20:02.714s while Thompson finished third with a time
of 20:03.238s. Rio's team mate, Dustin Sofyan clocked 2:13.420s for
seventh place.

"I've worked so hard over the weekend as I didn't have the pace in the
beginning. The whole team worked hard to get me in this position and I
would like to thank them for a great job," said Rio.

"I didn't achieve my target of taking over the overall lead in the
drivers' championship but at least I got two podiums this weekend and am
within touching distance of the leaders."

Rio, who also won the second race of the season, held during the
Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix in April, now has four podium finishes
from the first six races of the season. He finished third in the season
opener and also in yesterday's second race of the day.

Dustin said: "I could have done better, but to have finished in the
points in all four races is a big achievement for me. I had some problems
with the car in the last race of the day. I was aiming for a podium but
could only finish seventh."

In the first race of the day, Rio started from the back of the grid but
moved his way up to fourth while Dustin claimed fifth spot.

After Sepang, the series moves to Sentul, Indonesia, for four races from
July 17-19, followed by two races each in Singapore (Sept 25-27),
Okayama, Japan (Oct 30-Nov 1) and Macau (Nov 20-22).